Review #37: Maleficent

Release Date: May 30th, 2014
Writer: Linda Woolverton
Director: Robert Stromberg

Logline: A vengeful fairy is driven to curse an infant princess, only to discover that the child may be the one person who can restore peace to their troubled land. (Source: IMDb) Action-Adventure, 97 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests

Review
Maleficent is another chapter in the recent Disney franchise of classic film remakes with spectacular special effects and awful stories. Along with Alice in Wonderland, and Oz the Great and Powerful, Maleficent rips the story of a classic tale out of it's slumber and spins it to prominently feature Angelina Jolie's cheekbones. Not that that's a bad thing, of course.

In this film, the original Disney classic of Sleeping Beauty is retold through the eyes of the villain, Maleficent herself. As with all the recent Disney live action films, the visual effects are raised to new heights. Unlike the two previous endeavors, Maleficent never feels like it's showing off. It weaves a tapestry of fantastical beings, and seamless effects to entrance the audience. The magic of the pixie's is whimsical, while the power of Maleficent is dark and sinister.

I have to say, I'm a little over the one-note acting performances as seen in this film. As great as Angelina Jolie is at stomping around and looking amazing, she hardly breaks from that mold. Elle Fanning becomes quite grating despite only having a handful of dialogue due to her perky bubblegum persona. As for King Stefan, his charm wears off immediately and I was disenchanted with this overwrought performance. None of these characters conveyed any depth beyond the exterior, which is frustrating for a film built as a character study.

What kills this movie is the plot, combined with the weak character motivations. The entire purpose of this film is justifying the curse Maleficent places on Princess Aurora, and redeeming her character thereafter. I'm not sure it even comes close.

As the film opens, Maleficent is a carefree winged-elf being who as a adult is essentially all powerful. Even her biggest weakness cannot stop her powers or harm her physically. Her young love Stefan becomes power hungry and betrays her to become King.  From then on, it's all out war between the two factions: The kingdom of men fighting against the woodland realm of magical creatures. The theme of revenge is so overblown that it loses all meaning by the end because no one is even aware of what they are feuding about, a point often brought up by those second in command for both sides.

Without question I would rank this film above Alice and Oz. It's far more coherent and a more satisfying ride. There are silly, enjoyable moments, and Angelina Jolie is able to carry this film on a few lines of dialogue. It's far darker than any previous endeavor by Disney and shows that there is a potential for more in-depth, dark story telling.

Portrayal of Women: I have a hard time rectifying this film as being a feminist action movie as many are calling it. Perhaps it earns that title simply for having two female leads.

It does not represent women in any kind of equal way, it actually pits men against women. There's a very clear theme that arises about the powers of "man" against the magic of "woman." wherein all the armies of men are literally men, and all the magical creatures that could be gendered are women. The great betrayal that Stefan commits against Maleficent is when he drugs her and mutilates her body, leaving her for dead, and returning home a king. If you want to interpret that as a rape metaphor I wouldn't blame you because that's where my mind went.

It's almost incredible that this ended up in a Disney action film, when Alice in Wonderland concluded with the Mad Hatter doing a cringe inducing dance sequence. I honestly am at a loss for what any good feminst should interpret from this. At the end of the day, Maleficent was an all powerful being, so of course she would get the upper hand in battle. So what then should thematically be interpreted? That the ambition of men is dangerous? To fear the wrath of woman?

I honestly can't help but feel it's nothing but lazy writing with an unexplanable gender divided motif. There is nothing magical about relationship that was built between Stefan and Maleficent, and there was nothing magical about the way he choose to end it. It's an uncomfortable topic (date rape?) to place in a family movie, no doubt, but further then that something with no storylike enchantment has no place in this fairy tale. It's an inappropriate and incomplete social commentary that has no sufficient resolution.

Sisterhood Moment: Any movie that features 2 hours of Angelina Jolie is going to feature more than a few "Every girl wants to be me" moments, that I love. From the scene showing her wrath and rage as she stomps through the forest and bricks from the footpath go flying behind her, to showing up in the castle at the end and rising up in some sick leather pants, Angelina can't do much wrong. I'm pretty sure that's how every girl feels when they go out wearing leather pants. It's the "Bitch, you can't handle this" look, and she nails it.

Plus, the scene where Angelina acts with her young daughter, Vivienne, is adorable. They share a special connection that radiates through the screen. It's a great moment, especially if you've been tipped off to their relationship.

Rating: 2.5 Evil Curses

IMDb - Maleficent (7.2)
Wikipedia - Maleficent
Rotten Tomatoes - Maleficent (48%)

Trailblazer Appreciation: Alison Bechdel

We know the name, Bechdel. A word that has taken on so much meaning beyond the surname of an individual. In the media, the word is thrown around with frustration, venom and occasionally as an accusation. In  our blog, The Bechdel test is noted in the sidebar and noted in all our movie reviews.

But who is the Bechdel Test named after?

Alison Bechdel is an American cartoonist, originally hailing from Pennsylvania. In her early 20's, Bechdel illustrated a panel comic titled Dykes to Watch Out For. It chronicled characters that reflected on contemporary events and day to day living as a lesbian in the North East. In 2006 she released the graphic Fun Home: a Family Tragicomic. It was received with acclaim and awards, and was adapted into a 2013 off-Broadway musical.

Her claim to fame in the movie industry involves a comic she wrote comic with a cynical commentary about the state of mainstream movies. The two girls go to a movie theater, passing posters for violent action movies featuring buff male stars. One girl says she won't see any film that doesn't pass what becomes known as the Bechdel Test: Having two women in it, who talk to each other, about something besides a man. They leave the theater empty handed.

Despite fighting criticism her whole career, Bechdel created work featuring American counter culture and made smart social commentary. Her works are considered some of the best in gay literature.

In 2014, Alison Bechdel was granted the MacArthur Fellowship Award, otherwise known as the Genius Grant providing her funding to continue her work, no strings attached, for the next 5 years.

For more information on Alison Bechdel, visit her website DykesToWatchOutFor or her Twitter account, found here. A website dedicated to finding movies that pass the Bechdel test can be found here.

Review #36: Tracks

Release Date; March 6th, 2014
Writer: Marion Nelson

Director: John Curran

Logline: A young woman goes on a 1,700 mile trek across the deserts of West Australia with her four camles and faithful dog. (Source IMDb) Drama 112 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests.

Review

Tracks is captivating, intriguing and visually stunning. Based on a true story, it follows the journey of Robyn Davidson as she treks across the Australian Desert – a trip that is never fully justified or explained.  Going into the theatre with minimal knowledge of the story, I was expecting a grand tale of adventure with daunting circumstances and perilous encounters.  Although the film’s understated narrative proved my expectations wrong, it certainly gained a sense of adventure from this lack of justification.  Robyn sets out on her expedition just because. When asked why, she simply answers “why not.”  She explores for the sake of exploring and that in itself is what makes her solitary quest compelling.

The film’s quietness is also necessary in creating a perception of what travelling alone is like.  Mia Wasikowska plays this experience of isolation beautifully and brings a real depth to the character. While we get a little back story to help us to understand Robyn’s motivation, Wasikowska’s performance is what truly allows us to get her.

I will say that I felt like the film was about 20 minutes too long, but the gorgeous Australian scenery makes any unnecessary scenes completely worthwhile. Adam Driver was great, the camels were cool and Diggity the dog was adorable. Besides the length, I can't think of anything else to complain about.


Portayal of Women: Robyn is stubborn, independent, smart, brave, abrasive, determined.
And she isn't just given these qualities for no reason, there are logical justifications for each attribute. A role this fleshed out is rare for a female character and I was enthralled watching Wasikowska bring it to life.

I also really liked how being a woman was never really an obstacle for Robyn. She was definitely seen as unconventional but her unwavering conviction made people see past that. Aboriginal traditions prevented her from doing some things on account of her being a woman, but she ultimately overcame those challenges as well.

I loved how beautiful Robyn was throughout her journey. Her clothes were in tatters, her hair was in a constant state of unruliness and her face was dirty 80% of the time. Another film may have tried to make her look conventionally appealing, but the honesty of what you would actually look like after 7 months in the wilderness was so much more effective . Sometimes the old cliche of "beauty comes from within" seems eye-roll worthy, but in this case it was true - her courage and perseverance were really breathtaking.

Sisterhood Moment: An older couple lets Robyn stay with them for a night. The woman washes her hair, brushes it out and gives her a clean nightgown to wear. Such a mom thing to do and I love it.

Rating: 4 camels and an old compass

IMDb - Tracks (7.2)

Wikipedia - Tracks

Rotten Tomatoes - Tracks (81%)

Review #35: Mrs. Doubtfire

Sorry for the delay in recent updates! We've had a busy summer but are back at it. -SS/AW

Release Date; November 24th, 1993
Writer: Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon

Director: Chris Columbus

Logline: After a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife. (Source IMDb) Family comedy. 125 min.
Bechdel Test: Passed all 3 tests.

Review

Given the tragic news of Robin William's passing, Alyssa and I felt it we had to honor his outstanding legacy with a review of one of his most revered films.

Mrs. Doubtfire encapsulates what we loved about Robin. He was comically silly, with hysterical one liners, and pop culture jokes. He was also vunerable and sincere. That's what we remember about this Oscar winning actor. His choices across many of his films show the world how to use comedy to make the lives of others better, even in seemingly impossible situations. To those who grew up with his films, he offered up a piece of his heart and we are so grateful to have the films of such an inspirational person.

There's something very heartfelt in the DNA of Mrs. Doubtfire. Kids films often have a morality lesson that gets hammered home. Instead, Mrs. Doubtfire relays the experiences that modern families have. It doesn't shy away from the pain of a childhood divorce, but it doesn't dwell in misery either. The kids and parents are both characters who can make mistakes and are not perfect.

I often find myself enamored with films that refuse to condescend to children, even if that's their target audience. The same movie that features a goat at Chris's birthday party, and a "drive by fruiting", also features Daniel sharing the story of hooking up in a bathroom stall with a waitress. I have a lot of appreciation for a movie that isn't afraid of bordering on offensive for the sake of entertainment.

If you haven't watched Mrs. Doubtfire in the 20 years since it's release, it's worth revisiting. It's a film that holds up. You might remember the scene where Daniel sets her rack on fire, trying to cook. Or when Daniel drops the Doubtfire mask out the window, and makes due by slamming his face into a cake. You probably don't remember the makeover montage featuring many Robin imitations, or the dinosaur rap. You might not even remember that this whole film is about a custody battle. This is definitely one worthy of at least a second view. o

Portayal of Women: Rewatching Mrs. Doubtfire 20 years later is an interesting experience. I found myself questioning the portrayal of the "gay uncles" and a cross dressing main character. I know someone is going to say "Hey Sarah, that's not the question!" but really it's the same concept of underrepresented people. In one respect, it's nice to actually see gay characters on screen, and to see that cross dressing characters can be shown in a positive light. But Daniel is still called a freak and considered to be crazy. Take from that what you will. Considering it's 20 years old, perhaps we should call it progressive and leave it at that.

Sisterhood Moment: Everyone remembers that scene where Daniel panics needing to look like Mrs. Doubtfire but without the mask, and he covers his face with icing. My favorite part of that exchange is that he spends the scene with cake on his face serving the social worker tea. And she rubs icing onto her face to see if this facial mask works. Kills me. I'd using an icing beauty regime. o

Rating: Always a staple in the Robin Williams top 5. Always a staple in best family movies. 5/5

IMDb - Mrs. Doubtfire (6.8)

Wikipedia - Mrs. Doubtfire

Rotten Tomatoes - Mrs. Doubtfire (71%)